The Gran Teatre del Liceu, or simply known as Liceu/Liceo in the local lingua, is the main opera house of Barcelona, Spain. It was inaugurated on 4th April, 1847. Few things to know about this piece of art are as under:
1. How to reach?
Situated in La Rambla, downtown Barcelona, it is in the heart of the old city. You need to take the Liceu Green Line 3 Metro to reach the place or else you can navigate to the place using the address given below.
Information
- Name: Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Address: La Rambla 51-59, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- Opening hour:Monday to Thursday, Sunday and public holidays until midnight. Friday evening until 2 am. Saturday evening: all-night service.
- Phone Number: +34 93 485 9900
- Website: http://www.liceubarcelona.cat/en.html
2. The Building
There was a major fire in 1994, which virtually destroyed everything but the city authorities have done an impeccable job to restore it. Fitted with the latest technologies, it reopened in 1999 and is one big proud monument of the city. The building has 2 facades and the auditorium is huge. There are paintings of the great artists and marvelously decorated roof paintings. There is a newly built foyer, a room where the restaurant and the bar is located which enhances the beauty of this building.
3. Seating Capacity and the Layout
It is one of the biggest theater in Europe, with a seating capacity of almost 2300 people. It is like horse-shoe in shape and is divided into a plateau and 5 balconies/tiers. The best viewing experience is available from the first gallery, where the amfiteatre ubicare is situated. By value, you can find the cheapest seats in the topmost layer of the theater ie. the 4th and the 5th tiers. The most luxurious boxes in the theater are the Banyeres.
4. Tours
There are basically 2 different tours available for this place. One being 25 minutes, which covers the basics of the theater and the other being 50 minutes, which is more detail oriented and you get to see more places. You will be taken to the Hall of Mirrors and then to the 4th floor to admire the whole theater from the top! You are also taken to the gallery section, where various pieces of art are placed for the guests. You can book special tour by contacting the authority beforehand, if you are interested to get further insight of the backstage.
5. Services
There are various lounges, conference rooms, a library and a restaurant along with various other facilities under the Círculo del Liceo club, which is the oldest club in Spain. It has got a special section, with 12 oil on fabric paintings, each denoting a separate musical topic. They are one fine piece of art which will leave you awestruck.
Notes: 1. You can get cheap wine in the facility which you can savor while the show is on or during the intermission.
2. If you are 35 years or younger you may avail special discount on the day shows!
3. If you don’t have the time for the complete performance, at least take a guided tour of 25 minutes for 12 euros. I bet this would really be the best utilization of 25 minutes.
Have a good trip and travel!
